Show n oY t s JERRY MUSKRAT IS UNDISTURBED By Thornton W. W Burgess For what hat some others do or say The Innocent must often oten pay Old Old Mother Nature Over on the roof of Jerry Musk Musk- Muskrats Muskrat's Muskrats rats rat's house Peter Rabbit could see seea a big member of the Snake family I coIled colled up He lIe knew It wasn't Mr Blacksnake because this one wasn't black He lie was brown Peter was puzzled He Ill understood why Red Red- Redwing RedwIng Redwing wing and Mrs Redwing ned had made such a fuss Cuss They had discovered who was on the roof root of Jerry Muskrats Muskrat's house and they the had made a fuss f ss until they grew tired Then they had gone off 0 and left tho the big Snake in peace Peter was still sitting silting there on the tho edge edg of oC the water haler looking across to Jerry Jerr Muskrats Muskrat's house I when who should come along but Jerry himself Hello Jerry cried Peter Hello Peter What are you roil looking look look- Jag ing so pop eyed about 7 inquired Jerry Just see who's on the roof of your jour house cried Peter excitedly I Jerry looked over to his house He didn't seem at all excited In n I fact he said so I dont don't see any any- anything thing to be bo excited about said he heI I 1 dont don't see anybody over on my I house excepting Mr Water Snake I certainly cant can't get much excited over aver him But Dut haven't you OU any little ba ba- babies babies bies demanded Peter Certainly said Jerry Ive I got as nice a little family as ever everyou you jou OU laid your our eyes ees on Peter flab Rab nab nab-I bit Id I'd d like you ou to see those ba ba- bies bles I 1 would to so But Dut they the are too small now to venture out In the Great Groat World Jerry Muskrat said Peter severely se se- severely verely verely- verel I dont don't know what to think of you Supposing that fellow on the th roof of your house there takes it into his head hea that he be would like a baby Muskrat for dinner He wont won't said Jerry How do you know he wont won't Peter demanded Because Mr Water Waler Snake does not eat baby Muskrats replied Jerry Perhaps he never has but that t tf f I If II O f I dont don't see anything to be excited about said sa Id he Isn't any proof that he never will retorted Peter Then hell he'll have to change chan e his habits completely replied Jerry But I dont don't believe bellevo hell he'll do that Somo Some of his relatives like Mr Blacksnake and Mr King Snake and some others may like birds and mice and things of that kind but Mr Water Snake doesn't care for Cor anything but fish deli and frogs fros No ho ha h is a 8 perfectly good neighbor so 50 far as I am concerned If he wants to take a sunbath on my roof he is welcome to do it In n fact hs has been doing It ever since he came out this spring I suspect that he thinks that roof really belongs be be- longs to lo him now If f I were a 1 small fish or a frog I certainly would be on the lookout for Mr Water ater Snake but no one else needs to look out for him See there he goes into the water now Peter watched He saw Mr Ir Wa Wa- Water Water a ater ter glide into the water A moment later laler he saw him glide out again In n his mouth was a small fish What Jerry had told him was true Birds and little animals have nothing to fear from Mr Water ater Snake Mr l Water ater swallowed the little fish and then once more coil coll colled coiled ed up on the roof of Jerry Musk Musk- Muskrats Muskrat's Muskrats Muskrats Muskrat's rats rat's house for a sunbath and nap That roof was almost perfect for such a purpose Copyright 1925 by b T W. W Bur Dur gess gesa The next story Another Visit Visit- Visitor I or to Jerrys Jerry's Root Roof |